Name: ___________________________
Section: ___
Fashion and Food Research
Instructions: Use the various sources given to research the lives of ordinary and
rich Egyptians. Record at least 2 point form notes for each box below.
Source
#1: Egyptian Food
#2: The Egyptians—Food
#3: Clothing and Adornment
#4: The Egyptians—Clothing
Rich People
Ordinary People
Source 1: Food
Egyptian Food
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/egypt/food/egyptfood.htm
Egyptian bread from the New Kingdom
(Vatican Museum, Rome)
Because Egypt is in Africa, but very close to West Asia, what people ate
in ancient Egypt was midway between African and West Asian food.
Wheat, barley, and olive oil, all originally from West Asia, gave Egyptians
most of their calories.
Egyptian models of clay beer jars
(Louvre Museum, Paris)
Egyptian bakers made both wheat and barley into bread and into soup and
porridge (like oatmeal), and they also fermented barley to make beer. In
fact, some people think the real reason that the Egyptians first began
growing grain was to make beer. This is an Egyptian model of beer jars,
which the Egyptians made to put in your grave when you died so you
would have beer in the next world.
Model of a butcher shop
(from the Louvre, Paris, France)
Egyptians didn't eat a lot of meat, but their meat also came from animals
that had been domesticated further north in West Asia or Central Asia:
mostly beef and lamb. You could go to a butcher shop and buy lamb there,
just as people do today, or a duck or goose. Only because it rarely rains in
Egypt, they could have the meat outside in the courtyard of the store
instead of inside. Here is a model of a butcher shop, also from somebody's
grave. Can you see the different cuts of meat all laid out? At the very
bottom there is a whole leg of mutton. In the Old Kingdom, they ate pork,
too. From the New Kingdom on, though, most Egyptian people would not
eat pork, because they thought pigs were dirty and yucky.
Egyptian dates
But people in Egypt ate African food, too. They used palm oil for some
recipes. For dessert, they liked to eat dates and figs and honey. This is a
picture of some real Egyptian dates which were put into somebody's grave
for them to eat in the next world, and which were preserved in the dry
climate for three thousand years until archaeologists dug them up again.
Archaeologists have also found seeds which show that the Egyptians grew
watermelons, and other kinds of melon.
Source 2: Food
The Egyptians - Food
http://www.historyonthenet.com/Egyptians/food.htm
Although Egypt is a hot, desert country where the lack of water makes it difficult to grow crops and raise
animals, the annual flooding of the river Nile (inundation) between the months of June and September made
the Nile Valley one of the most fertile areas of the ancient world.
When the river flooded, mud and silt was deposited onto the surrounding area. This soil was rich and fertile
and made good farming land. The main crops grown were wheat and barley.
Wheat was made into bread which was one of the main foods eaten by both rich and poor ancient Egyptians.
The picture (right) shows the bread-making process.
First the grain was made into flour. It was then made into dough with water and yeast which was placed into
a clay mould before being cooked in a stone oven.
Barley was used to make beer.
The barley was combined with
yeast and made into a dough
which was part-baked in a
stone oven. It was then
crumbled into a large vat,
mixed with water
and allowed to
ferment
before
being
flavoured
with dates or honey.
Recent
evidence
suggests that barley
malt may also have
been used in the
process.
Beer was drank by
both rich and poor.
Wine made from
pomegranates and
grapes,
plums was enjoyed
by the rich.
The rich ancient Egyptians' ate meat - (beef,
goat, mutton), fish from the Nile (perch,
catfish, mullet) or poultry (goose, pigeon,
duck, heron, crane) on a daily basis. Poor
Egyptians only ate meat on special occasions
but ate fish and poultry more often.
The picture (right) shows ancient Egyptians
hunting for fish and birds in the reeds that
grew on the banks of the Nile.
Meat, fish and poultry was roasted or boiled.
It was flavoured with salt, pepper, cumin,
coriander, sesame, dill and fennel.
Meat, fish and poultry that was not eaten quickly was preserved by salting or drying.
A variety of vegetables were grown and eaten by the ancient Egyptians including onions, leeks, garlic,
beans, lettuce, lentils, cabbages, radishes and turnips.
Fruit including dates, figs, plums and melons were eaten for dessert.
Source 3: Fashion
http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/egypt/egcl06e.shtml
Clothing and adornment
The ancient Egyptians were very particular about cleanliness and personal appearance. People who
were poorly groomed were considered inferior. Both men and women used cosmetics and wore jewellery.
One item of jewellery, the amulet, was believed to protect the owners and give them
strength.
Flax grown by farmers was woven into fine linen for clothing. Working-class men wore
loincloths or short kilts, as well as long shirt-like garments tied with a sash at the waist.
Kilts were made from a rectangular piece of linen that was folded around the body and
tied at the waist. Wealthy men wore knee-length shirts, loincloths or kilts and adorned
themselves with jewellery – a string of beads, armlets and bracelets. Working-class
women wore full-length wraparound gowns and close-fitting sheaths. Elite women
enhanced their appearance with make-up, earrings, bracelets and necklaces.
Both men and women wore sandals made of papyrus. Sandals made of vegetable fibres or leather were a
common type of footwear. Nevertheless, men and women, including the wealthy, were frequently
portrayed barefoot.
Old Kingdom
Nobleman
Female servant
Short kilt, pleated and Simple sheath dress
belted; shoulderwith wide shoulder
length hair; necklace.
straps; long hair,
unplaited; jewellery.
Middle Kingdom
Official
Female servant
Clothing
Nobleman
Mid-calf kilt with a large
Simple sheath dress,
Elaborate pleated
apron that was probably
long unplaited hair.
garment; jewellery, wig
stiffened to maintain its
and scented cone;
triangular shape; elaborate
sandals with the extended
necklace.
curled toes typical of the
period.
Drawings by John Ide
The Royal Image
New Kingdom
Noblewoman
Elaborate gown;
jewellery; plaited wig,
hair ornaments and
scented cone.
When royalty, gods and goddesses were portrayed in statues, temple carvings and wall
paintings, it was the beauty and self-confidence of the subject that was conveyed.
Egyptian artistic conventions idealized the proportions of the body. Men are shown with
broad shoulders, slim bodies, and muscular arms and legs; and women have small waists,
flat stomachs and rounded busts. Both wear elegant clothing and jewellery, and stand
tall with their heads held high. Their stately appearance commands the respect of all who
gaze upon their portraits.
In the Old Kingdom, goddesses and elite women were portrayed wearing a sheath with
broad shoulder straps. In the New Kingdom, they wore sheaths decorated with gold
thread and colourful beadwork, and a type of sari; the sheath had only one thin strap. These dresses were
made of linen, and decorated with beautifully coloured patterns and beadwork.
By the reign of Amenhotep III (1390-1352 B.C.), women's garments were made of very
light see-through linen.
The men wore knee-length shirts, loincloths or kilts made of linen. Leather loincloths
were not uncommon, however. Their garments were sometimes decorated with gold
thread and colourful beadwork. The priests, viziers and certain officials wore long white
robes that had a strap over one shoulder, and sem-priests (one of the ranks in the
priesthood) wore leopard skins over their robes.
Hairstyles
The Egyptian elite hired hairdressers and took great care of their hair. Hair was washed and scented,
and sometimes lightened with henna. Children had their heads shaved, except for one or two tresses or a
plait worn at the side of the head. This was called the sidelock of youth, a style worn by the god Horus
when he was an infant.
(left) Women wearing perfumed cones and wigs.
Painting: Winnifred Neeler, Royal Ontario Museum
(right) Wig replica.
Royal Ontario Museum
Both men and women sometimes wore hairpieces, but wigs were more common. Wigs were made from
human hair and had vegetable-fibre padding on the underside. Arranged into careful plaits and strands,
they were often long and heavy. They may have been worn primarily at festive and ceremonial occasions,
like in eighteenth-century Europe.
Priests shaved their heads and bodies to affirm their devotion to the deities and to reinforce their
cleanliness, a sign of purification.
Make-up
Elite men and women enhanced their appearance with various cosmetics: oils,
perfumes, and eye and facial paints. Both sexes wore eye make-up, most often
outlining their lids with a line of black kohl. When putting on make-up, they used a
mirror, as we do today.
The Egyptians used mineral pigments to produce make-up. Galena or malachite
was ground on stone palettes to make eye paint. Applied with the fingers or a kohl
pencil (made of wood, ivory or stone), eye paint emphasized the eyes and protected
them from the bright sunlight. During the Old Kingdom, powdered green malachite
was brushed under the eyes. Rouge to colour the face and lips was made from red
ochre. Oils and fats were applied to the skin to protect it, mixed into perfumes, and
added to the incense cones worn on top of the head. Both men and women wore
perfumed cones on their heads. It has been suggested that the cones were made of tallow or fat, which
melted gradually, releasing fragrance. No examples of the cones have been found.
Jewellery
From the earliest times, jewellery was worn by the elite for self-adornment
and as an indication of social status. Bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces,
pins, belt buckles and amulets were made from gold and silver inlaid with
precious stones such as lapis lazuli, turquoise, carnelian and amethyst.
Faience and glass were also used to decorate pieces of jewellery.
The elegant design of Egyptian jewellery often reflected religious themes.
Motifs included images of the gods and goddesses; hieroglyphic symbols; and birds, animals and insects
that played a role in the creation myth. Commonly seen were the scarab; the Eye of Re; lotus and
papyrus plants; the vulture and the hawk; the cobra; and symbols such as the Isis knot, the shen ring
(symbol of eternity) and the ankh (symbol of life). A person's jewellery was placed in his or her grave to
be used in the afterworld, along with many other personal items.
Source 4: Fashion
http://www.historyonthenet.com/Egyptians/clothing.htm
The Egyptians - Clothing
The ancient Egyptians wore light clothes made from linen.
Linen is made from flax - a plant which was grown along the Nile. The picture below shows the flax growing
process.
Once harvested, the flax was soaked in water until soft. The soften flax was then separated into fibres which
were beaten before being spun into thread which was then woven into cloth.
Men
All men wore a wrap-round skirt that was tied at the waist with a belt. Sometimes the material
was wrapped around the legs as well. The length of the skirt varied depending on the fashion of
the time - in the time of the Old Kingdom they were short while in the Middle Kingdom they were calf
length. During the New Kingdom period it was fashionable to wear a pleated garment.
Rich Egyptian men were able to afford the best quality linen which was
very fine and almost see-through. Rich Egyptian men also wore as much
jewellery as they could afford and decorated their clothes. They also wore
headdresses for special occasions.
Women
Egyptian women wore full length straight dresses with one or two shoulder straps.
During the New Kingdom period it became fashionable for dresses to be pleated
or draped. The dresses worn by rich Egyptian women were made from fine
transparent linen. Like the men, rich Egyptian women decorated their clothes and
wore jewellery and headdresses.
Children
Ancient Egyptian children did not wear clothes until they were about six years old when they would wear the
same clothes as men and women.
Footwear
The Ancient Egyptians went barefoot most of the time but wore sandals
for special occasions or if their feet were likely to get hurt.
The sandals worn by the poor were made of woven papyrus or palm
while those worn by the rich were made of leather.
The picture (left) shows the various styles of sandals worn.
Jewellery
The Ancient Egyptians wore jewellery to show their
wealth and also because they believed it made them more
attractive to the Gods.
They wore rings, ear-rings, bracelets, decorated buttons,
necklaces, neck collars and pendants.
Only the very rich could afford jewellery made of gold
and precious stones. Ordinary people made jewellery from
coloured pottery beads.
Make up
Egyptian men and women wore make up.
They used black kohl eyeliner to line their eyes and darken their eye lashes
and eye brows. They coloured their eye lids with blue or green eye shadow
made from powdered minerals.
Henna dye was used to colour their lips and nails.